Savory ricotta and spinach pie: the last-minute dinner idea ready in 10 minutes!
How many times have you come home late, with the fridge almost empty and very little desire to cook? The savory ricotta and spinach pie is the perfect answer for those evenings.
This is an extremely simple recipe, almost magical, able to solve the meal with very few ingredients and a result that will make you lick your lips.
The secret of this dish is not long preparations, but the balance between the creaminess of the filling and the crispness of the base.
In everyday cooking, practicality is essential; for this quick version, due to the rush, I chose to use ready-made puff pastry.
Although I usually prefer less fatty bases, like pizza dough or shortcrust pastry (pâte brisée), puff pastry has an unbeatable advantage: speed.
Using homemade pizza dough would have required long rising times, incompatible with a last-minute dinner.
However, the beauty of this recipe is its extreme versatility.
If you have more time available, you can easily replace the puff pastry with a whole wheat base for a more rustic touch, or with shortcrust pastry for a firmer, less flaky texture.
The result will still be excellent because the true protagonist remains the ricotta and spinach filling.
To make this savory pie really quick, my advice is to use frozen spinach.
They are a precious ally: just thaw them, squeeze them well and combine them with the ricotta and season everything.
If you like, you can quickly sauté them in a pan with a drizzle of oil and garlic and they’ll be perfect.
The fundamental step, however, is to remove all the liquid well; if the filling remains too wet, it risks making the base soggy.
Once well squeezed, the spinach dives into the fresh ricotta, creating a dense and flavorful cream.
You can enrich the mixture with a pinch of nutmeg or a generous handful of Parmigiano-Reggiano as I did, to give the dish more character.
In just 10 minutes, your savory tart will already be in the oven, releasing an aroma that will conquer the whole family.
Besides speed, this savory pie is a great solution for those looking for a balanced but tasty meal.
It is a recipe that children also love a lot, who often struggle to eat vegetables “plain”, but adore the creamy consistency of ricotta.
Try it next time you are in a hurry: it will become your new ace up your sleeve for a healthy, economical and incredibly appetizing dinner!
Calories about 682 per person